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Maximal Ep. 411 | House Full of Junk
🕑 Added 2023-09-25 11:00:03 +0000 UTCThe Minimalists talk about getting rid of things even if you think they won’t add value to others, opting out of situations you don’t like, whether we become lonely when we lose material things, cultivating a sense of freedom, off-grid living, recreational drug use, and much more.
Discussed in this episode:
What can I do with my items that I think won’t add value to others? (2:55)
How can I opt-out of my workplace’s themed dress-up days? (14:49)
Do we become lonely if we lose material things? (24:53)
How can I cultivate a sense of freedom from stuff? (33:45)
Is it fair to compare doing recreational drugs to wearing green pants? (43:39)
Would The Minimalists ever consider living off-grid? (51:30)
Why do The Minimalists put out so much content? (59:48)
Where can I learn more about minimalist meetup groups? (01:05:04)
What can we do about people who make us feel inadequate? (01:07:40)
Have you ever seen a $250,000 handbag? (01:15:26)
What should I do with my old power cords and cables? (01:26:00)
What does it look like when kids insist their parents hang on to their childhood possessions? (01:28:55)
Why do we love this Patron's minimalist dorm room? (01:32:48)
Why do humans spend so much time on “stuff”? (01:38:43)
LINKS
Added Value: Halftribe, “Are We There Yet”
Article: Like Henry David Thoreau, but with Wi-Fi
Play: 30-Day Minimalism Game
Resource: Values Worksheet
Subscribe: The Minimalists' Newsletter
Website: Minimalist.org
MAXIMS
When a house is full of junk, it is no longer a home—it is a landfill with four walls.
Hold your preferences loosely, because every preference comes prepacked with a cost.
If you don’t like it, you don’t have to do it.
There are better ways to signal your worth than soon-to-be-worthless material possessions.
Anyone who says you can’t compare apples and oranges doesn’t understand comparisons (or fruit).
Where you live isn’t as important as why you live there.
It is possible to value a thing without depending on it.
Everything you own can fit in three piles: essential, nonessential, and junk.
FOLLOW OUR TEAM
Comments
Lisa K. H.
In regards to that worker at the clinic, a simple idea would be to print out a picture representing the theme, punch two holes and string, laminate it for next year or for another employee or yourself. Another idea would be to have a craft day-DIY, coworkers bringing unwanted clothes that otherwise would go to donation. Have teams work together to create a costume. It's easy to be a Princess Leia for Star Wars day-grab 2 cinnamon rolls and affix them to a headbead. Just remember to consume the rolls in the kitchen and not your desk-you will inevitably have unwelcomed 6 legged minions....not that I know this personally : )
Rebecca
Thanks for the recommendation! I had never heard of this skit but I'm so glad I watched it
Angel King
The “Stuff topic” of the podcast reminds me a bit of George Carlins comedy skit on “Stuff” . If you haven’t seen it check it out on YouTube so funny but true!
LizzyGM
Omg! Book clutter and mind clutter! All of my life I have said that I only read content that doesn’t fill my mind with useless information. I keep what I need- and purge the rest. People think I’m nuts. Especially when it comes to movies. I watch a movie in the moment. I don’t remember every detail other than if I enjoyed it or not or if something that was said struck a chord and resonated with me.
Niki
I love the song "are we there yet", thank you so much for sharing.
Monica Sedore
The first caller asked the question on my mind: How do we justify throwing away all this junk when it’s just going to a landfill? I really appreciated the discussion around this question!
Natashya Sumitra
I love the part about how money doesn't change you, it just gives you access to express what was already there inside your heart. TK - who you are at your core is that which you can't "defend" - no reason, no justification, it's just you. The antidote to consumerism is PLAY.
Diane
LOL! I put my adult child's stuff in a box finally and said, "Here you go." She's 30! 😂
The Minimalists
Might be worth discussing on the show. Please email a voice recording. Much love, Ani!
Ani Baghdasaryan
I know you guys don’t like to get political but I am going through a lot this week, being Armenian,and could use some wisdom. The population of Artsakh (120k ethnic Armenians) are being forced out of their homes. Over the last 3 days, close to 70k people have fled their homes, taking only the essentials (documents and the cloths on their back). As much of a minimalist I aspire to be, this sounds devastating. How does one handle this emotionally?
Amy Sindler PhD ZFG
Green pants?
The Minimalists
LOL!
Neri
Thoughts on the grilled cheese theme, why not put a grilled cheese sandwich in your breast pocket or pocket in your pants.. that will serve as a snack and ornament at the same time 😁
Neri
I totally agree with TK regarding using humor to participate in the themed work days. Brian may use it as a shared experience with friends whom he can borrow items, not necessarily shirts, that might be relevant to the theme. If he is in a creative mood, he may also use existing items he already has in the house, which can be repurposed/recycled for the theme. This may also influence his co-workers to do the same in a positive way. I hope this will help him enjoy the activity without feeling compromised as a minimalist. Good luck!
Ben Caplan
Last December our office had an ugly sweat contest... I wore a sweater I already own, and I simply wrote on a piece of paper "ugly Christmas" (in red and green ink) and tapes it to my sweater. It was a fan favorite.
ND
To the employee struggling with themed work days, can I suggest facepaint? It's a high impact, low-cost, minimal storage way of participating.
Adam Plowman
Just recently I was selected to be in a golf outing at work at a really nice course. It was going to be wet and not really that warm. I don’t own any what people would call “golf pants or shorts” so I wore my jeans. I looked so out of place someone thought I worked there. I’m a very casual golfer so I don’t have any clothes special for it. I’m not going to carry special clothes for just the chance I play at a really nice course.
Zachary Lutz
I want to highlight something important regarding the green pants vs MDMA vs tobacco conversation. While MDMA is certainly used as a hallocinogenic agent, there are plenty of relevant reports that show some people can experience stimulant effects, and consequentially, withdraw symptoms similar to stimulants, like Meth. Chemically this make sense, MDMA and Meth are similar based on their chemical structure. It's a complex drug, don't get me wrong, but by no means is there no risk for physical addiction similar to using Meth. As I paraphrase JFM, consult your doctor, yoga instructor, or I guess in this case, friendly neighborhood forensic scientist or toxicologist if you want to know more.
The Minimalists
Eleni: While this can be difficult, I think it would be a great question for a future podcast episode. Would you be willing to email a voice recording to podcast@theminimalists.com so we can answer it on the show? In the voice recording, state your name and city followed by your question (use a fake name if you wish to be anonymous). –JFM
Eleni Manesiotis
My father is adamant about keeping items from my childhood because they're sentimental to him. He keeps telling me I can get rid of whatever I want after he dies. I don't know how I can help him let go of these items while still appreciating the memories.
